FQG Presents "Symphony of Spring 2015"

Our FQG Quilt Show, Symphony of Spring is ready to roll! We hope you will come and join us for a wonderful display of our work. There is a good variety of quilted works to see - traditional, modern, art quilts, hand quilted, machine quilted, you name it! There are Challenge pieces, some pieces from workshops, and many individual projects. There are three vendors on site, Country Crafts and Curtains, Lansdown Studio and River Gallery. As well, you will drive right by a local shop, The Christmas Crab Quiltery,  at 572 New Maryland Highway and she will have 25% off during our  Show, so be sure and stop in there too. Watch for her sandwich board at roadside. There will be light refreshments at the show, in case you need extra energy for more shopping or viewing!   :)

DIRECTIONS to find our Show:

If you are approaching Fredericton from the east (Saint John, Sussex, Moncton, N.S.) on the TCH, do not take Exit 294 to Fredericton, but stay on highway as if heading west to Edmundston. Take Exit 285A to New Maryland. At stop sign, turn right and proceed south along Rte. 101 for 4.4km to the New Maryland Centre (754 New Maryland Highway.) You will know you are almost there when the highway takes a big curve to the left- at this point you will stay straight, and the NMC is immediately on your right, just behind the ball field.

If you are approaching Fredericton from the west (Woodstock, Grand Falls, etc.) on the TCH, do not take Exit 280 to Fredericton, but stay on the highway as if heading to Saint John/Moncton. Take Exit 285A-B to New Maryland. At stop sign, turn right and proceed south along Rte. 101 for 4.1km to the New Maryland Centre (754 New Maryland Highway.) You will know you are almost there when the highway takes a big curve to the left- at this point you will stay straight, and the NMC is immediately on your right, just behind the ball field.

If you are approaching Fredericton on Route 8 from Miramichi, the new "Marysville Bypass" brings you out very close to the Princess Margaret Bridge. Proceed across the Princess Margaret Bridge and up the hill, then take the Regent Street exit. At lights turn left towards New Maryland. Proceed straight out Regent Street passing the Regent Mall and Costco. You will be on Rte. 101 heading south. The New Maryland Centre is 6.9 km from the Regent Mall. You will know you are almost there when the highway takes a big curve to the left- at this point you will stay straight, and the NMC is immediately on your right, just behind the ball field.

If you are in the city of Fredericton, proceed up Regent Street passing the Regent Mall and Costco. You will be on Rte. 101 heading south. The New Maryland Centre is 6.9 km from the Regent Mall. You will know you are almost there when the highway takes a big curve to the left- at this point you will stay straight, and the NMC is immediately on your right, just behind the ball field.

Looking for an Iron?

This is our first "Guest Post" written by Lee, our newsletter Editor. If you would like to write a Guest Post on a topic that would be of interest to our membership, please let me know. I welcome all submissions. Thanks Lee!

Someone mentioned they were thinking of buying a new iron.  I thought I'd add my observations to their decision process.
This morning I decided to go back to my old Black and Decker iron - no auto shutoff (gasp! yes it's that old) - that I had retired but not turfed.  I retired it because it had left a steam stain on something and I didn't want to risk my husband ironing a shirt in a hurry (which occurs once in a blue moon) and having this happen to him.  For a long time, I used it dry with a spray bottle handy whenever I wanted to steam something, but he must have done that blue moon thing again and I felt bad that there had been risk involved!
Anyway, I bought a Sunbeam Steam Master, a not cheap but not expensive model.  At the time, it seemed the right weight and size. When I first started using it, I realized that what I missed most of all was the sharply angled point of my Black and Decker - I could nudge that point into little pieced spots.  I now had a more rounded point that was okay but not the tool the other had been.  This style of point is probably gone from all makes now, I bet, because it looks less graceful and flow-y than what they now sell.
Comparing them today, my biggest realization is that the Sunbeam has a lot less flat surface to touch my pieced work because it has so many steam holes.  (Possibly the name "Steam Master" should have been a clue?!)  My old Black and Decker just has an outside V line of holes, giving me a nice large flat surface to press my blocks. If you are in the market for an iron, I suggest you consider how you will use it and choose a weight, shape and faceplate that works for you.
Since piecing is the main use of an iron in my house, with steam pressing clothing being a very small percentage activity, the new iron is going into the closet and the old one is returning to duty, but now with a label for my husband that says "no steam allowed". Hopefully he'll remember there is a steam iron in the cupboard!
~ Lee M.